Vancouver provides some stunning scenery, such as Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge, just two highlights. British Columbia’s marine parks feature remote fjords and vast, beautiful lakes. Vancouver is ideal for whale watching and hiking, or swimming and kayaking in the summer months. The Gulf Islands are teeming with wildlife, including dolphins, eagles and sea lions.

Tiny Ketchikan is just three miles long and three blocks wide, but here you can be sure to find Alaska’s busiest waterfront buzzing with boat planes, fishing boats, pleasure craft, and busy fishermen. Local trawlers bring delicacies like king crab, octopus, shark, prawn and rockfish to Ketchikan, known as Alaska’s First City for its location and its figurehead status for outstanding natural beauty.

Beneath an ice field that never melts, on a waterway that never freezes, Juneau is the unusual and disarmingly beautiful capital of Alaska. The Mendenhall Glacier is the not-to-be-missed attraction. Look for orca and humpback whales as we sail into Juneau. There’s plenty to entertain and intrigue in the city. If you’re feeling fit, explore the glaciers by kayak or trek with crampons and an axe.

Get up close and personal with the gigantic Hubbard Glacier, North America’s largest tidewater glacier. It’s 1350 square miles of blue ice and one of the most active in Alaska.Witness the grace and brilliance of glacial formations and towering icebergs in action as you sail by a highlight of Alaska’s many coastal wonders. Learn the history its created and take in the view. Hubbard Glacier has dictated local geography and human endeavour over millennia. This is your chance to get close to one of Earth’s majestic giants of slow-moving ice.

Gateway to the Klondike, with highlights including White Summit Pass and the cable Yukon Suspension Bridge. The gold rush coastal town of Skagway, Alaska, was previoulsy a lawless Wild West outpost. It’s now a national historic park, so the town’s restored boardwalk, shops and streets provide the perfect setting for actors to bring the town’s colourful past to life.

Sitka is a hidden beauty on the east coast of Baranof Island in southeast Alaska. Towered over by snowy mountains in the distance, it has previously been known as the Indian River Park and Totem Park. Sitka’s National Historical Park is the oldest national park in Alaska, and along with the town’s warm welcome, its many natural wonders combine for a remarkable experience.

The capital of British Columbia, Victoria, possesses a unique blend of historic charm and contemporary charisma. It offers a wide variety of exquisite sights that draw visitors from around the world. Notable landmarks include Craigdarroch Castle and the elegant Empress Hotel, which contrast with the shops and restaurants. There’s ample opportunity for whale watching and wildlife viewing, too.

Vancouver provides some stunning scenery, such as Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge, just two highlights. British Columbia’s marine parks feature remote fjords and vast, beautiful lakes. Vancouver is ideal for whale watching and hiking, or swimming and kayaking in the summer months. The Gulf Islands are teeming with wildlife, including dolphins, eagles and sea lions.

When John Fremont sailed into San Francisco in 1846, he found no famous bridge, but a golden light reflecting off the high cliffs that flank the bay’s only entrance. He named it Golden Gate and its glowing welcome still creates a striking first impression today.

Welcome to the gateway to fame and fortune, with its endless beaches and non-stop excitement. There are wonderful restaurants, exceptional museums, fabulous stores, dazzling nightlife, unlimited recreation and sporting attractions, and a rich multiculturalism that adds international allure.

Whilst growing as a fashionable tourist destination, the Mexican resort of Cabo San Lucas still maintains its sparse and uncrowded atmosphere, and boasts a warm hospitality which matches the sunshine. Nestled on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, Cabo is famous for its casual atmosphere, exciting nightlife, and stunning beaches and scenery.

Punta Arenas stands on the Strait of Magellan, close to the southern tip of South America. There is a real frontier town feel here amidst the grand and mountainous scenery of Chilean Patagonia. Also well remembered here is explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Indeed, a statue of him stands in Plaza Muñoz Gamero, and rubbing the toe of one of the figures around the pedestal is said to bring good luck and calm waters for your onward voyage. Within the Museo Nao Victoria you can stand before a replica of his galleon that successfully sailed around the globe.

If you are interested in maritime engineering or iconic journeys, this should be high up your list of must-sails. This legendary canal is steeped with intrigue and blessed with ever-changing scenery. As you pass through the locks at either side of Gatun Lake, you’re slowly rising to, and dropping from, 26 metres above sea level, avoiding the lengthy and treacherous alternative route via Cape Horn.

Brightly coloured houses, vibrant street life, a distinct buzz in the air – all are part of the experience when you visit the Schooner Market and watch merchants sell exotic fruit and fresh fish direct from tiny boats.

Explore the “Venice of America”, with its lacework of over 165 miles of canals and yachts as huge as the mansions they’re moored at. Stroll along the tree-lined Las Olas, and wander into its upscale boutiques and wonderful restaurants. Enjoy the shops and cafés of Riverwalk, close to the Arts and Science District.

Bermuda may sound like one island, but it is actually a sprinkling of more than 130 arranged in a scenic archipelago, the largest linked by bridges. Famed for soft pink sands and superb diving among reefs and wrecks, the natural draws include the staggering Crystal Caves, where wispy stalactites hang above a turquoise lake, and the Botanical Gardens with hibiscus and frangipani.

Lush botanical gardens and superbly landscaped terraces adorn the hills above the capital. Settle down in a local café and soak up the scenery with a perfectly chilled glass of fortified wine – an island speciality.

Explore enchanting ruins inside ancient city walls built some 3000 years ago. Saunter beneath sweeping palms, soak up astonishing sea views or simply watch the world go by in this busy, buzzing port.

Glimpse Barcelona’s remarkable architecture as you tour the city. Or experience Monsterrat, legendary home of the Knights of the Holy Grail. There’s also a host of art galleries, museums and elegant shops to explore.